The stakes are too high to bungle the Census

Dear Friend,

Now that the Trump administration has arbitrarily moved the deadline up to September 30, there are now only 50 days left to respond to the Census.

You can respond to the Census online. If you prefer to respond by phone, you can call 844-330-2020 for English or 844-468-2020 for Spanish between 9 a.m. MT and 4 p.m. MT. You can find a list of phone numbers for options to respond in other languages here. You can also respond by following these directions to mail in the paper questionnaire that was sent to you.

Even in a normal Census year, getting an accurate count in New Mexico presents unique challenges because of our large number of people living in non-English speaking households, colonias, rural, and tribal communities. Those difficulties have only been exacerbated by the pandemic and by the distrust caused by White House attempts--ruled illegal by the U.S. Supreme Court--to use the Census to target immigrant communities.

As of this week, an estimated 46 percent of New Mexicans still have not responded to the Census. The stakes are too high to allow an inaccurate count. The Census is mandated by the Constitution every ten years. It helps determine how much representation we have in Congress and sets federal funding levels that affect schools, roads, and hospitals. For New Mexico, an incomplete count could reduce tens of millions of dollars in critical federal funding in our state's budget.

President Trump abruptly decided last week to end the count for the 2020 Census one month early. I am calling on the Trump administration to immediately reverse this unconscionable decision. There is simply no justification to end the 2020 Census early. Especially in light of challenges presented to in-person canvassing by the ongoing pandemic and COVID-19 cases spiking in communities across the country, we should be putting more resources into getting an accurate count--not cutting the Census short.

We all have a role to play in making sure all New Mexicans get counted. I will continue to do everything I can to hold the administration accountable for conducting the Census fairly. However, you can make a major difference for New Mexico by responding to the Census if you haven't already. Please encourage your friends and family to do the same.